George Washington Commemorative Coin Act
Public Law 97-104 · H.R. 3484 · 97th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Dec 23, 1981 · Commemorations
Sponsor: Rep. Druie Barnard (D-GA-10)
Cosponsors (1): Rep. Frank Annunzio
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateVoice vote
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
George Washington Commemorative Coin Act - Amends the Coinage Act of 1965 to provide for the minting of not less than ten million half-dollar coins with a design emblematic of the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the birth of George Washington.
Specifies the size and weight of such coins. Specifies certain inscriptions to be placed on such coins.
Provides that such coins shall be sold to the public at a price equal to the cost of minting and distribution plus a surcharge of not more than 20 percent. Directs that an amount equal to all surcharges collected shall be used for the sole purpose of reducing the national debt.
Directs that no such coins shall be minted after December 31, 1983.
Authorizes appropriations.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 12 actions.
- Dec 23, 1981Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 97-104.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Dec 11, 1981PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Dec 9, 1981FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote.
- Nov 20, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee
- Nov 17, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee
- May 20, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee
- May 19, 1981FloorFloor · Passed House by Voice Vote.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Financial Services Committee
- May 12, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Financial Services Committee
- May 7, 1981CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Financial Services Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.